It's a trap!
“The trappings of lifestyle are often that; traps.” Thomas Leonard.
What are the costs and benefits of your emotional and physical clutter?
(Does carrying extra weight allow you to feel invisible, does your physical clutter distract you so you don’t have to deal with fear, does believing you’re not good enough keep you in your comfort zone?)
I notice that I surround myself with clutter when I’m most scared - I distract myself trying to manage my baggage rather than look at what I’m really avoiding. When I let go of the distraction, I have to face my fear and what I’m really barricading myself away from.
I do find the decluttering process really rather profound.
We are day 21 of the Minimalist Game and it’s getting harder to find the physical things to let go of.
But there are definitely clearer spaces inside and out.
My old coaching mentor Thomas Leonard, regarded as the ‘grandfather’ of the coaching profession, always talked about creating a vacuum in your life so you can attract great opportunities. The ‘laws of the universe’, he said, could not stand a vacuum.
Let’s create a vacuum today.
See what happens.
Journal Prompt: What are the costs and benefits of your physical clutter?
My clutter is never ending.
Gorgeousness (and sometimes SCARY to leave space for the unknown). I think it's in Japan that there's a tradition of never filling drawers, shelves etc completely because they're actively inviting in more of the unknown. I love to aim for this (and often fill them completely). Sending enormous love to you on this emotional and practical journey (heart emoji but on laptop so can't)
I've really been enjoying this series, thank you. I've moved countries once and moved house eight times in the last ten years and it really changed my relationship to 'stuff'. I now find it easier to travel lighter and with less attachment. I'm always amazed how quickly you can strip a space of everything that made it 'yours' or 'home' and how impermanent everything really is. I'm in awe of you throwing out your notebooks... I still carry mine through all the moves, so it's given me food for thought!